


Alone in the dark

by Anonymous



Series: Alone in the Dark [1]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-31 04:12:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6455248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Crutchie is alright really. He's not just saying that for Jack's benefit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alone in the dark

Crutchie was fine. 

Okay, sure being beaten with his own crutch hadn't been good for him, but his bruises were almost healed. He was selling newspapers again with his usual cheery mood, almost as though nothing had happened. 

Maybe it was because his leg hurt so often. Did dealing with the limp every day make the Refuge seem mild by comparison? Jack grimaced at the thought. 

He watched Crutchie sleeping, studying his face as best he could in the dark, looking for any sign of pain. 

Maybe it was his personality, Jack thought, the kid could smile through anything. 

It had occurred to Jack that Crutchie might be putting on a show for his benefit; acting alright so that Jack and the others wouldn't worry, but Jack had gotten pretty good at telling when Crutchie was faking. 

Jack sighed and considered trying to go back to sleep. 

Crutchie gave a snort. His soft snores stopped.

Jack closed his eyes and lay back down. 

"Jack?" Crutchie's sleepy voice called. "You awake?" 

"Yeah," Jack said. He opened his eyes and looked at Crutchie. 

There was a sleepy question written on his face. 

Jack looked at the ground. He couldn't bring himself to talk about the Refuge, with anyone especially his little brother. 

"I. . .uh. . .had a nightmare," Crutchie said.

Jack looked up. It was a lie, and they both knew it. 

"Can youse. . .um. . . Can you sleep with me?" Crutchie asked, blushing. "Just until I falls asleep again."

That was all the invitation Jack needed. He curled up next to Crutchie. Crutchie wrapped his arms around Jack pulling him closer. 

"You's safe now," Crutchie whispered, as if that were all it would take to chase away dreams of Synder. "It's alright. We's all safe now."

Jack dissolved into silent sobs. 

Crutchie was fine. Jack was not.


End file.
